Invisible Chess: Culture Club #2

Bernstein - Capablanca, Moscow 1914

One of the things I hadn’t thought about before I started collecting games for this series, is how amusing the most famous games in chess often are. In this very well known finish, Capablanca exploits White’s weak back rank by … not going there.

O. Bernstein - Capablanca

Exhibition Game, Moscow 1914

1 d4 d5

2 c4 e6

3 Nc3 Nf6

4 Nf3 Be7

5 Bg5 0-0

6 e3 Nbd7

7 Rc1 b6

8 cxd5 exd5

9 Qa4 Bb7

10 Ba6 Bxa6

11 Qxa6 c5

12 Bxf6 Nxf6

13 dxc5 bxc5

14 0-0 Qb6

15 Qe2 c4

16 Rfd1 Rfd8

17 Nd4 Bb4

18 b3 Rac8

19 bxc4 dxc4

20 Rc2 Bxc3

21 Rxc3 Nd5

22 Rc2 c3

23 Rdc1 Rc5

24 Nb3 Rc6

25 Nd4 Rc7

26 Nb5 Rc5

27 Nxc3 Nxc3

28 Rxc3 Rxc3

29 Rxc3 Qb2

0-1

So, why did white resign?

BONUS QUESTIONS

BQ1: Ensure you have an answer to 30 Qxb2; 30 Qe1; 30 Qc2 and 30 Rc2.

BQ2: Bernstein probably expected 29 … Qb1+ from Capablanca. What happens then? Evaluate the position.

BQ3: How does Black finish off if White tries 22 Rxc4 instead of retreating from the knight’s attack with 22 Rc2?

BQ4: Capablanca played 9 … Bb7 possibly fearing that Black drops a pawn after 10 Qc6 gaining a tempo on the rook and hitting d5. However it was later discovered that after a line like 10 Qc6 Rb8, 11 Nxd5 Nxd5, 12 Qxd5 Bb7, 13 Bxe7 Qxe7. White’s queen is attacked. Analyse a bit further to show Black’s compensation.